Juan Jose Soto.
2019
Once again put together an historic season for a player before turning 21 years old...Was named Babe Ruth Postsesaon MVP by the New York BBWAA, second-team All-MLB and a Gold Glove Finalist...His 34 home runs were tied for second-most by a 20-year old in Major League history behind Mel Ott (42 in 1929)...Ranked among National League hitters in walks (3rd, 108), on-base percentage (5th, .401), OPS (6th, .949) and slugging percentage (12th, .548)...Hit go-ahead, game-winning three-run homer on April 9 at Philadelphia (Alvarez)... On July 13 he hit a two-run home run to pull ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies, 4-3...It was his third career go-ahead home run in the ninth inning or later...All three coming against Philadelphia...Recorded a career-high four walks on Sept. 23 vs. Philadelphia...Recorded RBI in career-long seven straight games (7/26-8/2)...Homered in three straight games (7/30-8/2)...Appeared in his first career Postseason and went on to start in 17 Postseason games...Laced game-winning, bases loaded, three-run single in the bottom of the eighth inning that plated Michael A. Taylor, Andrew Stevenson and Anthony Rendon and propelled Washington to the NLDS for the fifth time in team history (2005-pres.)...According to Stats, Inc., he became the youngest player in Postseason history to come through with the game-tying or go ahead RBI in the eighth inning or later...Recorded his second Postseason homer in Game 5 of the NLDS, a game-tying solo home run off Clayton Kershaw...Became the eighth player in MLB history to hit a home run in a Postseason game before his 21st birthday and one of five to homer more than once: Miguel Cabrera (4), Mickey Mantle (2), Andruw Jones (2), Rafael Devers (2), Manny Machado (1), Bryce Harper (1), Ronald Acuña Jr. (1)...Recorded the first NLCS hit of his career in the top of the ninth inning of Game 1...He became the first player younger than 21 years old to notch a hit in an NLCS game since Justin Upton in Game 4 of the 2007 NLCS...He joined Upton, Miguel Cabrera, Andruw Jones and Claudell Washington as the only players to record a hit in an NLCS contest while younger than 21 years old...In Game 1 of the World Series, he clubbed a mammoth solo home run in the top of the fourth inning, to tie the game at 2-2 and in the fifth inning, his two-run double extended Washington's lead to 5-2...Became the youngest player to appear in a World Series game since Adalberto Mondesi (20.095)...Since 1997, only Mondesi, Miguel Cabrera (2003) and Francisco Rodriguez (2002) had appeared in a World Series game prior to their 21st birthday...He became the fourth different player (fifth time) to homer in a World Series game before his 21st birthday, joining Miguel Cabrera (G4, 2003), Andruw Jones (G1, 1996) and HOF Mickey Mantle (G6 and G7, 1952)... Turned 21-years-old on Oct. 25, the day of Game 3...Clubbed his second home run of the World Series in Game 5...Became the fifth player younger than 22 years to hit multiple World Series home runs, joining Hall of Famers Mickey Mantle (4) and Jimmie Foxx (2), as well as Tony Kubek (2) and Andruw Jones (2)...Game 5 marked the first in World Series history in which multiple players age 22-or-younger hit a home run (Yordan Alvarez and Juan Soto)...Clubbed his third home run of the World Series in Game 6, becoming the youngest player in history to record three home runs in a single World Series...The homer was his fifth of the 2019 Postseason, passing Miguel Cabrera (2003) for the most home runs in a single Postseason by a player younger than 22 years old...He became the youngest player since Mickey Mantle (1952) to log an RBI in a World Series Game 7 and he joined Mantle (1953) as the only players in history age 21-or-younger to collect seven RBI in a single Fall Classic...His 18 hits in the Postseason matched Miguel Cabrera (2003) for most hits in a single Postseason by a player younger than 22 years old.
2018
As a 19 year old, finished runner up in the National League Rookie of the Year voting as he put together one of the most historic seasons for a teenager in MLB history (see info boxes below)...Began his season with Single-A Hagerstown before getting promoted to Single-A Potomac on April 23 and to Double-A Harrisburg on May 10...Appeared in just eight games with the Senators before having his contract selected on May 20...Clubbed a three-run home run in his first at bat the next day, May 21 vs. San Diego (Erlin)...Not only did he rank among the top National League rookies, but from May 15 (the first game in his game log, due to the suspended game vs. NYY) through the end of the season he ranked among all National League hitters in walks (T4th, 79), on-base percentage (5th, .406), runs (T6th, 77) and OPS (8th, .923)...Moreover, among all National Leaguers (min. 490 PA), he ranked in on-base percentage (2nd, .406), OPS (3rd, .923), slugging percentage (10th, .517) and batting average (12th, .292)...Finished his rookie season with a .292 batting average, .406 on-base percentage and a .517 slugging percentage...He is just the 15th rookie in Major League history - and the only teenager - to finish a season with that slash line...His .406 OBP placed him in exclusive company with 2017 AL Rookie of the Year Aaron Judge and 2001 National League Rookie of the Year Albert Pujols (.403 in 2001)...Since 2001, Soto, Judge and Pujols are the only rookies to post an on-base percentage greater than .400 in their rookie season (min. 400 PA)...Named NL Rookie of the Month for June, July and Sept...On June 13, recorded the first multi-home run game of his career with a three-run blast in the fourth inning and a go-ahead solo home run in the seventh inning to help the Nationals top the Yankees at Yankee Stadium... He became the fifth-youngest player in MLB history to record at least two home runs in a game...He joined ATL Andruw Jones (10/20/96), SEA Ken Griffey Jr. (5/30/89) and CWS Brian McCall (9/30/62) as the only teenagers since 1962 to record multi-HR games on the road against the Yankees... Went on to record two more multi-home run games (6/29 at PHI and 9/11 at PHI)...Posted a 21-game on-base streak from Aug. 24 to Sept. 16...Hit .370 (30-for-81) with four doubles, five homers, 19 RBI and 15 walks during the streak...His 21-game on-base streak tied HOF Mickey Mantle and trailed only HOF Mel Ott (22 games in 1928) for the longest on-base streak by a teenager in MLB history...With three stolen bases on Sept. 15 at Atlanta, he became the youngest player since 1900 to steal three bases in a game, besting Rickey Henderson (20 years, 241 days)...Following the season, took part in the 2018 Japan All-Star Series...Hit .350 (7-for-20) with two doubles, two homers, five RBI, two walks and six runs scored in five games
